IoE Fellow Cathy Whitlock Elected to U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Dr. Cathy Whitlock, IoE Fellow and lead author of the 2017 Montana Climate Assessment, was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences according to an announcement made on May 1st. Whitlock is the first scientist from a Montana institution to receive this honor, in which members are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. From a press release published by MSU News:

"Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have had inspiring and supportive mentors who encouraged me along the way, dynamic and engaging colleagues who have kept the science interesting and fun, and some of brightest graduate students anywhere,” Whitlock said. “Together, we’ve shared amazing moments of discovery, lots of challenging but unforgettable field experiences, and many moments of laughter."

Whitlock will be formally inducted into the U.S. National Academy of Sciences at their 2019 annual meeting next spring in Washington, D.C.

News

A new study from researchers at the University of Montana focuses on the ability of low-elevation forests to regenerate after wildfires. The study, titled "Wildfires and Climate Change Push Low-elevation Forests Across a Critical Climate Threshold for Regeneration" and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that climate change makes it increasingly difficult for tree seedlings to regenerate following wildfires in low-elevation forests, which could contribute to abrupt forest loss.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED BUT WILL BE RESCHEDULED IN LATE MARCH OR APRIL.

Dr. Jean Dixon, Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences at Montana State University, will deliver a lecture at 7 p.m. Monday, March 11, as part of the Montana Institute of Ecosystems’ Distinguished Lecturer Series.

Morning Star Elementary School in Bozeman is looking for a few more Visiting Scientists to interview students about their projects for its annual STEM Project Fair at Morning Star School on Friday, Feb. 22 from 4:30-6:00pm. This event is set in the school's gymnasium and will have approximately 55 students from grades second through fifth grade participating.

The US Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources requests proposals for matching grants to support research on the topic of improving and enhancing the nation's water supply, including evaluation of innovative approaches to water treatment, infrastructure design, retrofitting, maintenance, management, and replacement; exploration and advancement of our understanding of changes in the quantity and quality of water resources in response to a changing climate, population shifts, and land

The Institute on Ecosystems has had discussions with the MSU Graduate School about strengthening the Ecology and Environmental Science (EES) Ph.D. degree program. As a first step, there is currently funding available to recruit new students for the EES Ph.D. program. If you have had a student show interest and want to bring them to campus Spring Semester, funding is available to cover flights and accommodations for a 2-3 day visit.